Onward And Outward
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: It would be like a Spencer to use him for ice cream.


Something I wrote in about five minutes after finishing Just The Two Of Us. These characters deserve a lil fluff from me. So here we go! Enjoy, and please review!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

PsychPsychPsychPsychPsych

Juliet O'Hara had never seen a more stubborn child in her entire life.

It was the precinct's fifth annual picnic (thoughtfully started by Buzz McNabb) and for once, everyone in the entire squad was having a great day. The sun shined brightly, the weather was beautiful, and it seemed that the world had slowed down just long enough to give everyone a day free from crime. It was the perfect day for just this kind of activity.

Gus and Shawn were out in the field playing softball with Lassiter, the Chief was getting lunch for her daughter, and Juliet was on a blanket stretched out on the grass nearby with her own baby girl.

For the past few weeks, Juliet had been working with her daughter, trying to get the fourteen month old girl to take her first steps. This was her first child, and despite the Chief's attempts to tell her that every child went at their own pace, Juliet was determined to believe her child hit every milestone right on schedule.

Until now.

Once again, Juliet lifted Cecilia onto her feet, then removed her hands. The little girl was quite adept at standing on her own two feet for long periods of time.

She simply refused to move.

After a minute of standing, Cecilia sat back down on her diapered butt with a toothy grin of satisfaction.

Juliet sighed. "You are making me crazy, little girl."

The baby giggled happily and reached for one of her many toys within reach.

"Jules, what are you doing to my little angel now?"

Juliet turned her head and smiled as Shawn and Gus came jogging up to the picnic blanket. Both were covered in sweat but grinning triumphantly.

"Nothing," Juliet insisted.

"Right... And by nothing, you mean trying to get her to walk again." Shawn was a firm believer that children did everything at their own pace. He had, according to his dad. And unless there was something truly wrong with his little daughter's development (which there was not) he was not about to worry without reason.

"Shawn, she's already fourteen months old-"

"And it's perfectly normal for her not to be walking yet."

As they continued to argue, Lassiter made his way to the blanket, as well. In one hand he held a softball. In the other, he held a double dipped chocolate ice cream cone, a rare treat for him.

Cecilia looked up from her toy at Lassiter's approach, and she gave him a toothy grin before pushing herself to her feet.

Lassiter smiled at the little girl. At first, it had made him mad that Juliet had set her standards so low as to date Spencer. And he had been mad, right up until Cecilia was born and he was the third person to hold her (after her parents). Then they had named himself and Guster godfathers, and his heart of stone softened.

Juliet and Shawn continued with their argument, and Gus watched the verbal sparring.

With her parents preoccupied, Cecilia stretched her arms out and took an unsteady step forward.

Lassiter froze. Juliet was always talking about how worried she was that Cecilia hadn't started walking yet. He dropped to one knee and held an arm out, silently encouraging the little girl to continue forward. He had always wanted children of his own, but this little girl was like his own daughter. And that made him happy.

Cecilia continued forward, her steps more certain as her speed increased.

"Juliet, Spencer!" Lassiter said sharply, getting the attention of the parents of the child heading toward him.

Shawn and Juliet turned their heads, their eyes widening in surprise.

Giggling, Cecilia launched herself into Lassiter's arms with a happy squeal.

Gathering the baby girl into his free arm, Lassiter stood up again with a grin.

Juliet looked shocked and pleased, while Shawn looked disturbed.

"She walked to _you_?"

Lassiter frowned at Shawn. "So? She loves me." And it was a fact that he loved her in return. A fact that he didn't bother trying to hide.

"Or she loves your ice cream," Gus pointed out.

Lassiter looked down in time to see Cecilia grab a fistful of his chocolate ice cream. "Hey!"

The baby giggled gleefully before shoving her fist into her little mouth.

Shawn laughed and fell over, his head landing in his wife's lap. "She just wanted your ice cream!"

Gus and Juliet laughed as well, while Lassiter tried in vain to look annoyed.

It would be just like a Spencer to use him for ice cream.

The End!

A/N: Some of you might have noticed that I used the same name from Just The Two Of Us. For those of you who didn't, Cecilia is the patron saint of music. I don't know why, but I see Juliet naming their kids after saints. LOL. Hope everyone enjoyed, and please review!


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